Polychromatic printing-surface and method of making same.



t STATES Tatented October 13, 1903.

ANTON VON BEUST, OF ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

POLYCHROMATIC PRINTING-SURFACE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 7&1,297, dated October 13, 1903. Application filed February 19, 1903. erial No. 144,132. (No specimens.)

T aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTON VON Bnnsna citizen of the United States, residing at Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improve ments in Polychromatic Printing Surfaces and Methods of Making the Same, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improved polychromatic printing-surfaces and the method of making same.

It consists in the improved composition plate or roll and the method of making same hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims following the description.

The improved printing-surface hereinafter described is primarily designed for marbleizing or illuminating the edges and faces of books and the like, though it may be employed forvarious other purposes, as Will hereinafter more fully appear.

The compound printing plate or roll may be made from more than one formula of ingredients, and the proportions employed may vary under different conditions; but the principal material employed is a color or pigment, and for the purpose anilin colors are preferred. Such coloring-matter is incorporated in a pliant material, preferably of-a glutinous nature, and I prefer to add thereto soap, which allows impressions to be readily taken from the finished plates or rolls. There should also be added a sufficient part of glycerin to prevent the mass from drying out too quickly and carbolic acid to prevent decomposition of the plate or roll.

The proportions of the substances used will vary with difierent colors and also with different temperatures and seasons of the year.

The preferred plate or roll is constructed as follows: I dissolve thoroughly three parts of anilin color in three parts of glycerin, the two being ground together in a mortar. I add the anilin color and glycerin slowly to a hot composition consisting of three parts of glue and one part of soap, previously boiled together over a hot-water bath, and keep stirring the mass constantly While over the fire, and then add a few drops of carbolic acid. The mass is then poured into a greased pan and allowed to become cool until it becomes of the consistency, say, of comparatively soft rubber. The above operation is repeated as often as it is necessary to provide the number of difierent colors desired, each separate mass having incorporated therein its own distinctive color. The coloring-matter added to each batch or mass Will be varied with a view to obtaining light or dark shades, as may be desired. When all the dilferently-oolored masses are cold and stiff, they are taken from the pans and chopped or ground up or otherwise suitably disintegrated into particles or pieces of more or less fineness to obtain the effect desired. If desired, more of one colored mass than another may be taken, as may be necessary to effect the desired result. When all the differently-colored masses are disintegrated, they are mixed, so as to cause them to spread through one another evenly, and are placed in a greased pan or intoa cylindrical mold and are gently heated over a steam or hot-Water bath to cause the difierently-colored masses to assume a plastic state and run one into the other to form a homogeneous mass. When the colored masses are melted, the tray or cylindrical mold should be agitated in any suitable manner in order to cause the masses to How together and assume a streaked or marbled appearance. The compound is then allowed to cool, after which it is removed from the pan or mold, and the plate or roll thus formed is finished and ready for transferring the colored design to the object to be ornamented. In ornamenting the edges of a book, for example, a sponge or brush dipped in a thin starchy paste is first passed over the edges of the book, and the composition-roll formed, as hereinbefore described, is rolled over the edges of the book, or the edges of the book are applied to the surface of the plate. In this manner any material to be ornamented is treated by the roll or plate.

WVhile the composition plate or roll before described is primarily intended for marbleizing or decorating the edges and covers of books, it may be used for many other purposes-for example, it may be employed to illuminate magazine-covers, newspaper-covers, stationery, and for forming borders around illustrations. It may also be employed for illuminating fancy and other papers, such as packing-papers, for example. In the lat ter case a contact-roller constructed in the manner described can be placed in a papermachine and the paper passed over the same while still damp and before it is quite finished. In such case the compounded roller is of great value to paper-manufacturers, inasmuch as no extra machinery is required and the paper need not be handled a'second time after its manufacture. It is also of value to decorators, as it can be used directly on plastered walls of houses. The walls are first sized, and the compound roller is passed over the surfaces of the walls and impresses its design thereon. When dry, the surfaces may be varnished or otherwise finished to protect the imprint. It may also beused for printing wall-paper, or decorating oil-cloth, woodwork, celluloid, and the like. In fact, it may be employed for imparting a colored decorative design to any article or substance.

Having thus described myinvention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The process herein described of making polychromatic printing-surfaces, consisting in making several separate gelatinous compounds, incorporating in each separate mass a distinctive coloring substance, permitting the latter to become stiff, separately disintegrating each of said masses, mixing such disintegrated masses in a mold, and finally subjecting such mold to heat to cause said separately-colored masses to melt and run together, for the purpose specified.

2. The process herein described of making polychromatic printing-surfaces consisting in making several separate gelatinous compounds, incorporating in each separate mass a distinctive coloring substance, permitting the latter to become stiff, separately disintegrating each of said masses, mixing said disintegrated masses in molds, and finally subjecting such molds to heat to cause said separately-colored masses to melt and run together, and agitating such molds while the massis in a melted condition, for the purpose specified.

3. Asa new article of manufacture, a printing composition consisting of glycerin, glue, soap, carbolic acid and a coloring substance compounded substantiallyin the manner and in the proportions specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in. presence of two subscribing witnesses. ANTON VON BEUST. Witnesses:

J. WARREN SMITH, CHAs. HASLER. 

